1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to invalid aids, specifically to handrail devices and bedside commodes.
2. Description of Prior Art
In order to meet the needs of invalid patients, inventors have, over the years, responded with aids for sitting and standing, portable walkers, and portable commode chairs. However, there are invalid patients who have lost their ability to safely handle these portable devices. For reasons of self-esteem and savings in nurse or attendant labor, it would be desirable if they could get out of their beds and walk safely to and from their commode chairs. However, none of the existing aids has been able to enable them to accomplish this task.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,793 to Wilson (1973) discloses an aid for sitting down and standing up. However, it provides no aid to a patient who requires help in rising from a prone position on a bed to a sitting position on the side of the bed. Also, it does not provide the rigid support for transfer to a portable commode chair that is needed by an invalid patient who requires the continual support of a fixed handrail device.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,874 to O'Kennedy (1971), reveals a device which was designed to help invalids who are capable of walking to rise from a sitting position to a standing position. Once an invalid patient steps off of this device, it becomes unstable and does not support a patient needing constant, rigid support while walking to and from a bed and a commode chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,746 to Seiger (1971) describes a support device designed to help semi-invalids to get out of their beds. This device is mounted on rolling devices and does not provide the stability needed by a patient requiring a firm support to walk to and from a bed and a bedside commode.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,258 to Wolferts (1963) shows a holding device for invalid walkers which recognizes an invalid patient's difficulty in using a portable walker as an aid in helping the patient rise from a sitting position on a bed to a standing position. However, it provides no aid to an invalid patient who no longer is capable of safely using a portable walker.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,388 to Chisholm (1956) discloses a device designed to aid a patient in standing from a sitting position, in being rotated, and in sitting down. This device does not provide the stability required to aid the patient in rising from a prone position to a sitting position on a bed. Also, the patient can not use this device without an attendant to operate it.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,619 to Josephs (1948) shows a device designed to aid a patient in self-physical therapy but provides no method for assisting an invalid patient in moving to and from a bed and a bedside commode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,330 to Marshall (1982) describes a bedside commode device designed to aid "a patient partially immobilized, such as with arm, leg and/or body casts" in moving back and forth from a bed and the commode. An invalid patient whose legs no longer have the agility and strength to safely maneuver a portable walker will find it extremely difficult to sit up on a bed and, while keeping both legs parallel to the bed, swing them out and over the commode platform and to pull into position on the commode. Getting back to bed will be an even more difficult operation for such an invalid patient. The alternative embodiments of this invention will present still greater obstacles to this invalid patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,773 to Thomas (1974) describes a portable bedside commode device with provisions for raising and lowering its side arms. Lowering the side arm adjacent to the patient's bed makes it easier for the patient to slide from a bed onto the commode. However, for an invalid patient who requires a rigid device to pull on in order to move on and off of a bed and who must have such a device in order to get up off of the commode, this invention will not meet this patient's requirements.